Innovation and R&D have always been the essential foundations of a strong, sustainable defence industry. Australia’s 2016 Defence White Paper, Defence Industry Policy Statement (DIPS) and Defence Integrated Investment Program (DIIP) acknowledge the importance of successful Defence R&D and innovation to the nation’s defence industry and thus to Australian defence policy. The 2020 Defence Force Structure Plan reinforced these foundations.
EX2 was set up by Dr Gregor Ferguson, a defence industry and innovation analyst and consultant, to make a useful contribution in Australia’s new and welcoming defence business environment.
EX2 helps innovators in Defence, the research sector and industry, and especially SMEs, by providing news and insight about innovation in Defence and adjacent sectors such as space, aerospace and resources.
Gregor Ferguson writes, teaches, advises and runs a national program designed to encourage and reward innovators in the defence, aerospace and maritime domains in both industry and the research and academic communities.
View his bio here (PDF opens in new window).
Dr Gregor Ferguson, Ph.D, BA (Hons), MRAeS
On what amounts to the final working day before Christmas, Defence has released its 2024 Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Plan and reaffirmed its commitment to continuous naval shipbuilding in Australia. The Plan outlines the Government’s planned investment of up to $159 billion…
The Australian Submarine Agency (ASA), BAE Systems Australia Ltd and ASC Pty Ltd have signed a Tasking Statement, a contractual agreement that supports the joint development of an SSN AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine build strategy, supply chain management plans and a…
Defence has confirmed it will select from two contenders to equip the Australian Army with a land-based maritime strike capability under Project LAND8113 Ph.2. It has said this will result in the Army fielding a second long-range fires regiment. Defence…
The Australian Space Agency has selected the ELO2 consortium, led by Brisbane-based autonomy expert EPE, to build Australia’s first lunar rover in a $42 million program. NASA has contracted the Australian Space Agency to develop and deliver an Australian-made, semi-autonomous…
The Royal Australian Navy has achieved a major milestone with Australia becoming only the third country in the world to acquire and fire a Tomahawk cruise missile. HMAS Brisbane successfully fired a Tomahawk missile during a test and evaluation activity conducted…
The Australian government has released its Terms of Reference for the Strategic Examination of R&D announced at the last budget in May this year. Australia has a very weak record of commercialising the fruits of its R&D, despite its researchers…
Adelaide-based BAE Systems Australia and Perth-based Innovaero have successfully flown the STRIX Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) armed Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) which was unveiled at Avalon 2023. The flight took place in October at an undisclosed location in Western…
Adelaide-based Fleet Space Technologies has successfully demonstrated Two-way Voice and Data (TVAD) Satellite Communications (SATCOM) for the ADF under the SmartSat CRC’s ASCEND2LEO program which is led by the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), the University of South Australia…
Sydney-based Advanced Navigation will provide Rheinmetall Defence Australia with Fibre-Optic Gyroscope (FOG) Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), for Rheinmetall’s Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV). This follows a previous deal which saw Advanced Navigation provide 200+ FOG INS to Rheinmetall in 2021…
Lockheed Martin and the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA), supporting United States Indo-Pacific Command and the Department of Defense (DoD), have successfully demonstrated a live exo-atmospheric intercept of a Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) target using the land-based Aegis Guam System…
